


i've been here the whole time ( singing you a song )

by strawberrykissess



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boy Band, Band Fic, Coffee Shops, Dorks in Love, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Romance, Slow Romance, Touring, bandmember! scott moir, songwriter/singer! tessa virtue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-25 16:37:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20915216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrykissess/pseuds/strawberrykissess
Summary: small town singer/songwriter with big dreams meets the cutest boy band member of all time...and a tour is on the line? what could go wrong when love is thrown into the mix?





	i've been here the whole time ( singing you a song )

**Author's Note:**

> hi there!! so i did a thing...let me know what you all think...and if i should continue this<3

Out of all the places she imagined to be spending ten-hour days at, at twenty-two years of age, Tessa never expected to be burning her hands on scalding hot coffee while doused in powdered sugar, frantically running about a cramped coffee shop based in her hometown. 

But here she is... a lean figure, standing about 5’5 with the biggest chocolatey brown bun sitting on top of her head ( probably the biggest one the world has ever seen) sporting the most obnoxious smile she can make while welcoming in new customers.

She sighs, blowing a few loose hairs that are coming undone wildly.

“Wow, at least try to look depressed Tess, that fake smile is scaring away the elderly,” a perky blonde brisks by her, balancing an armful of ebony speckled mugs.

“Ugh,” Tessa rolls her eyes before readjusting the bow on the back of her apron. “I just can’t believe it, Kait. I’ve been here for five years and I still haven’t received a raise! I mean, I love Marie, but the rest of the school year is going to be the death of me if I can't even get by on my rent.”

“Why don’t you just try talking to her again? Maybe she’ll change her mind?” Kaitlyn offers, shrugging apathetically before brewing a fresh batch of black tea and pulling out their signature butter tarts out from the oven. 

“I don’t think she would, K. Supposedly, Patch the building owner has upped the lease on this place, so none of us will be getting raises anytime in the near future,” Tessa shakes her head, burying her face in her hands.

“I’m just saying it doesn’t hurt to ask, T. A struggling creative writing student like yourself can’t get by, by making lattes and busking a few songs you’ve written here and there.”

“I know Kait. Trust me…” Tessa exhales. “I just want something more you know? I want to be somebody...and knowing my cowardly ass, I’m never going to be in the spotlight. Even performing in front of a handful of teenagers and babies in this place sends chills up my spine.”

“You’ll get there someday, T. You just have to trust the process...and the first step of that is talking to our boss, hmm?”

“You’re right,” Tessa dusts off her hands, nodding sheepishly.

“I always am, just nobody cares to listen,” Kaitlyn arches a playful eyebrow.

“Yeah, yeah,” Tessa flails her hand at her. She quickly freshens up her appearance before pausing in thought, leaning against the worn in brick wall.

“I meant to ask you this, but is there anything else you want me to mention to her while I’m up there?” Tessa inquires, sneaking a small glance outside the cafe’s front doors. Crowds of people begin to swarm a secluded part of the street as a vehicle slowly drives down the lane, but Tessa can barely make out the shape of it.

“Umm.” Kaitlyn stops to think, quickly popping a fresh tart into her mouth. “Yeah, why don’t you tell Marie to hire some new hot boys here, it’s getting lonely back here just you and me!”

“Yeah, I’m sure Marie would take up that suggestion right away. Top priority,” Tessa rolls her eyes.

“What? We could be like that new cafe that just opened up in the states with the shirtless baristas!”

“I feel like that’s a major health code violation,” Tessa sassily remarks.

“Not for my eyes,” Kaitlyn swoons, getting Tessa's stomach to crack open, filling the room with her boisterous laugh.

“You’re too much sometimes, Kait,” Tessa gives her a small smile, heading up the Steele set of spiraling stairs.

“I don’t hear no!” Kaitlyn calls after her, leaving her to face her boss's company...alone.

* * *

“I think you guys should take it! It’s by far, the best deal you’re going to get,” Joe Moir, manager extraordinaire insists, handing out packets of contracts to the five confused boys sitting in front of him.

“C’mon, what are you waiting for? Tell me what you think! Charlie? Chiddy?”

“I don’t know boss...a six-month tour around Canada without any breaks?” the curly-haired blonde boy squints his eyes down at the microscopic writing.

“And I can’t bring my girlfriend? What the shit?” the tinier one turns to face his best friends, the expression of uneasiness resting upon his lips.

“I know it seems like forever, but guys listen to me! This is a chance of a lifetime! Girls...and boys, all across the country for 180 nights, will come to see the boys of Cold Hearted literally steal their hearts! Imagine…” Joe continues to sell the idea, waving his hand through the air.

“Sold out arenas every night, the smell of sweet perfume and desire drifting through the air. Nothing but the sound of thousands of screaming fans and the adrenaline running through your veins as you get to sing out your best album yet ...so what do you think?”

“I’m in...you had me at sweet perfume,” the tallest boy, and Cold Hearted’s bass player, Andrew smirks.

“Fantastic Andrew,” Joe grips his shoulder. “And the rest of you?” There's a glint of hope in his eyes.

“You know what? I say we get this show on the road and give everyone something fucking astounding! Something to hold onto when they lay awake at night,” Paul, their curly-haired, bushy eyebrowed drummer beams.

“There's a reason you don't write our songs, Paulie, but I love that energy,” Charlie slugs him in the shoulder, chuckling. "I’m in too! We’ve been working our asses off for something like this to come along. This is going to be killer.”

The smallest one, Chiddy, still sits quietly in his seat, undecided. 

“Chiddy, you can even bring Elizabeth if you like...you told me she likes photography, she could help take promotion pictures for the tour?”

That's all that needed to be said to set a spark in his eyes, making him whip his phone out of his back pocket within a second. “I’m going to call her right now!!! She's going to be ecstatic!... Oh hey, babe!! Guess what? You’re never going to believe-"

“Well that was easy...and adorable,” Joe smiles, turning his head to the last unspoken member of the band. Cold Hearted’s lead singer and lyricist, his own son, Scott...who sits mute in the back of the vehicle, scribbling down every thought that comes to him, even if that means humming the same tune over and over again until it sticks.

“Scott?” Joe asks, tapping the journal in front of him. “What about you, son?”

Scott peers out the window of the limousine, staring at the pedestrians crossing the street, longing at how he misses being one of their kind. Being a regular person, and not an object to several adoring fans. Don’t get him wrong, he loves his followers...he just wishes sometimes to not share the limelight and be on magazine spreads twenty-four seven.

He misses going out to dinner with his family without being asked for an autograph or going out for a jog without being stalked by the crazy obsessed paparazzi. He misses just being Scott. Only Scott. Scott, the small boy next door from Ilderton that loves to play hockey on the weekends or curl up on the couch with a good novel or rom-com.

Fortunately for him, his dad is able to snap him out of his false reality before he falls too far down the rabbit hole of the past.

“What were you saying?” Scott sheepishly scratches his neck, running his fingers through his dark tresses.

“The tour? Six months? Ten provinces? Five boys?” Joe presses, staring down his youngest child.

Scott takes in a deep breath, looking back out the window to find a small cafe that sits on the corner of a winding lane covered in snow. It looks like one right out of his dreams.

“Can I have time to think this over?” Scott asks. “Not forever, just like an hour or so? I just need to clear my head.”

Joe sighs, patting his son on the back. “I get that, you’ve been going through a lot recently...with the breakup with Cass-”

“Don’t talk about her,” Scott snarks a little louder than he means to. “I’m sorry dad...it’s over between us...I just need to find my way back to myself,” Scott looks down at his palms, swollen red, blistering in the creases of his fingers from gripping his pen too tightly.

“And you’re doing exactly that, Scott. There’s no pressure here. Just think it over, okay? The boys are always here.”

Scott looks up to find his brotherhood smiling at him, nodding.

“Thanks, guys...Hey, can you pull over, El? I think I want to walk around town a bit, you know...think this all over.”

“You got it, Moir!” Elvis, their driver salutes, making a u-turn into the small centre he was ogling earlier.

“Thanks,” Scott unbuckles his seat belt, gathering his books and earbuds into his bag.

“Scott? Be careful out there...and when you're done meet us back at the apartment so we can discuss the signing on Friday night and the tour. I know you all love some London girls!! We don’t need any news stories coming out before the tour hits. We don’t need any bad publicity, eh?”

“Someone once told me all publicity is good publicity,” Scott smirks, putting on his sunglasses and beanie before stepping out of the car.

“That boy is going to be the death of me someday,” Joe leans back into his headrest, closing his eyes.

“That’s his job boss,” Andrew pats his thigh. “Scott is the so-called “Charming, witty, heartbreaker” of the group,” he giggles, getting the guys to join in on the festivities.

“_Oh joy_,” Joe rolls his eyes, clearing several unheard voicemails and emails on his phone before getting out of the limo and moving to the front.

“If Scott is the heartbreaker, than what am I?” Chiddy asks after hanging up with Elizabeth. 

“You’re the little brother of the group,” Charlie grins.

“That’s so not sexy,” Chiddy says in disgust.

“It can be,” Andrew drags out, attempting not to laugh.

“Oh really? Scott gets to be a heartbreaker, Charlie is the adorable softie, Paul is the mysterious one, you get to be tall, dark and handsome...and I get to be the “little brother?” 

“Well, it worked out in your favour. You have a girlfriend, Chiddy. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches,” Andrew pats him on the shoulder.

“I could be a badass,” Chiddy sulks, crossing his arms.

“No, you couldn’t,” Andrew laughs.

“Oh yeah? You wanna fight? Let’s go, Poje. You and me, right here!-”

“Why do we live with these people?” Charlie turns to Paul.

“Beats me, Goldilocks,” Paul winks, rolling up his separate divider, leaving Charlie to fend for himself.

* * *

“Ah, Tessa. Come in, come in,” Marie grabs for her arm, pulling out a chair from her desk. “Now, tell me, sweetheart, what brings you in today?”

“Umm, Marie," Tessa exhales heavily. "Here goes nothing," she mumbles under her breath.

"I'm here again to shoot my shot with you and ask for another raise. Now, I know you’re probably going to tell me, no, so I should just leave...but I was going to go crazy if I didn’t at least try again,” Tessa explains, flailing her hands about like a crazy person.

“Tessa, trust me. There’s nothing more in this world right now that I’d love to do than give you a raise, but we simply can’t afford it right now. If you want to go barging in on Patrice’s door then...be my guest...but he won’t even answer my calls right now. I know you have an incredibly busy schedule, but all I can offer is you picking up extra shifts or coming in late at night.”

“I figured you would say something like that,” Tessa sighs, scrunching her nose.

“I’m so sorry dear, I really wish I could....maybe in a few months?”

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep holding on, Marie,” Tessa looks up to find the woman watching her intently. She attempts to hold in her sniffles but it’s getting difficult to keep pretending that the lack of money is getting to her. 

“Marie, this job has been the only good thing in my life. With school riding my ass, and my mom’s ill-”

“Oh, sweetheart, shh,” Marie sweeps her into a loving hug and it melts most of Tessa’s tears away, but not the burning heartache. 

Ever since Tessa got the news about her mom... Marie has always been a supportive motherly figure when her real mom couldn’t be. She’s helped Tessa with chores around her childhood home, paying bills, and even taking care of her when she couldn’t bear to do it herself.

“Tessa, I’m here. You know that I’m always here for you. There is absolutely no way I’m going to let you let yourself go,” Marie holds her arm in reassurance and it just makes her cry even harder.

“No tears, sweet girl. You are so strong, and you must know that. Now, all I want is for you to go downstairs, make some tea and relax. We’ll figure this out later, okay?”

“Okay,” Tessa sniffles. “Thank you Marie...for everything,” Tessa smiles as warmly as she can.

“Thank you for being you, Tess. Never be afraid to come to me. That’s why I’m here,” Marie gestures to her walls, to the pictures of her friends and family coating the walls. “You’re my family.”

“You’re mine too,” Tessa smiles one last time before closing the door behind her. She has an inkling that soon things will get better...

* * *

When Scott enters the coffee shop, he’s welcomed by the overwhelming scent of peppermint, coffee grounds, and freshly printed newspapers. It’s a homey feeling.

The place is filled with families, friends, lovers of all kinds, bonding over good ole’ cups of joe, drinking in one another's presence. It’s almost enough for Scott that he can sense the buzz of caffeine riveting through their private conversations.

He’s in the middle of studying the creaks in the wooden floors when a petite barista glides right past him, with a hot pitcher in hand. She stops abruptly as soon as his bad boyish appearance catches her eye.

“Ah! New customer,” Kaitlyn sets the pitcher down, wiping her hands on the sides of her jeans. “Welcome to the Black Walnut Bakery Cafe. Have you been here before?” She asks in a very high pitched voice, staring him up and down quizzically.

He realizes it now that it must look weird that’s it’s snowing mountains outside and he’s wearing aviator sunglasses indoors...but hey! Anything to keep his identity hidden.

“Um, no I haven’t - Kaitlyn,” Scott tilts his head enough to catch the hem of her nametag.

Kaitlyn blushes a deep rose at the sound of his voice. It’s husky and melodic, like a sizzling fire, and very, very familiar. The vibe he’s giving off is very brooding and she can’t help but wonder where she’s seen him before. They don’t get that many by the looks of it, 5’10, muscular (hockey player built), expensive sunglasses-wearing men in this shop.

“Well...welcome. Is there anything that I can assist you with?” Kaitlyn asks.

“Yeah, can I-?” Scott bows his head slightly when a group of teenage girls brushes past his shoulder.

“Um...I don’t know-” Kaitlyn questions before locking eyes with Tessa as she makes her way down the stairs, wiping away any residual tears out from her eyes.

“I didn’t say anything…” Scott kind of laughs.

“Sorry, um. I just remembered I have to go organize something...but my friend/accomplice/coworker might be able to help,” Kaitlyn grins mischievously at him and it’s the tiniest bit unsettling.

“T!” Kaitlyn yells, ushering her over with a snap of her fingers. “Come please help this new customer while I go restock our pastries in the back.”

“She’s a real hoot,” Kaitlyn says to him before running over to Tessa’s side to whisper in her ear. “Remember what I said about hot guys?... I think the guy upstairs is on my side on that one.”

“What Kait? I just want to make some tea and take my break-”

What Tessa didn’t expect was to be greeted by a mop of cocoa coloured hair, and when taking off his glasses, a pair of rather striking hazel eyes, aimed directly at her face. Taking off his leather jacket has proven to make matters worse as his flexing biceps are on complete display, his hand clutches a worn old book tied with twine.

It wasn’t until his eyes found hers that he ever viewed the colour green _ like that. They’re too green. Shiny, sparkly, and absolutely gorgeous..._As he breathes in heavily at the sight of her, he can’t help but notice that she doesn’t even flinch when meeting his eyes...almost as if she has no idea who he is.

_That's refreshing..._

Her brilliant eyes focus intently on his when he maneuvers his body to shift closer towards hers...he allows himself to take his sweet time studying her.

He swears he’s never seen anyone more attractive than her in his life...that it’s a tad startling.

“Can - can, Um, I get you something, sir?” Tessa asks as the cool wind from the door opening hits her cheeks, turning them bright pink.

“Just one almond milk cappuccino please,” He smiles sweetly.

“Okay,” Tessa punches into the computer. _So he has a really contagious smile...so what? _ When she tells him his total she watches as he retrieves his wallet out from his back pocket, and how he struggles pulling out a five when he fumbles with a few fifties. _ Who is this guy? _

“Here you are,” Scott hands over the bill.

“Thank you. It will be just a second, I have to go fetch the almond milk…” Tessa explains. Why is she explaining anything to him? This is her job, he doesn't care.

“No worries, _Miss_,” Scott says, studying her delicate hands, and how the only ring she wears is on her middle finger…

As he waits for his drink to be made, Scott pulls a pen out from his bag to scribble down a few new words that come to mind that would fit the bridge perfectly, he stands, humming to an imaginary beat.

When Tessa goes to top his cup with whipped cream, she can’t help but redden like a stoplight when she catches him staring at her.

“That’s a beautiful journal. I take it you are into writing?” Tessa ends the silence between them.

He practically jumps at the break in her voice. She sounds more aware and confident than before. Scott quickly shoves his pen back into his bag before casually placing the book onto the counter. “Oh, thanks. Yeah, I like to write - poetry of sorts...” ( is the best thing he can come up with? )

“Poetry eh? What kind?” Tessa asks curiously, grabbing a lid...and that’s the first time he thinks anyone has genuinely cared to ask.

“Um, mostly romance, but I really could write about anything if I really wanted to-”

“What about romance?” Tessa watches the boy's eyes glaze over with a look that she remembers her mom calling...love.

“I'm fascinated by the idea that one person exists somewhere in the world that is perfect for someone else. Soulmates, you know? That there will never be a time or place when true love strikes. It always happens accidentally, unexpectedly. In a heartbeat. In a simple, single flashing, throbbing moment.”

“Wow,” Tessa grins, pinning a hair back behind her ear. “I like that too..." Tessa loses herself for a moment, catching herself memorizing the dimples in his cheeks.

"Here’s your drink,” she hands him the cup, turning her back to him.

Scott takes a quick, indulging sip before grinning to himself. “And what about you?”

Tessa bites down on her lower lip before coming out and around the back counter to start cleaning up mugs. “What about me?”

“What’s your beat?” Scott nods.

“My beat?"

"Yeah. What drives you to get up in the morning? To really start the day and end the night."

"Writing also...I guess,” Tessa carries a tray back to the counter before moving onto the next table.

“You write too eh? What do you write?” Scott grabs a stir stick from a cup at the counter.

“Songs?” Tessa smiles up at him shyly.

“Songs?” Scott chokes on his coffee, spewing it down the front of his shirt.

“Are you alright?” Tessa giggles.

“Yeah, um...that’s really interesting”…( he has no idea what to say and he’s probably messing things up, he thinks...right about now... )

“I guess. I mean, I have no idea if they’re any good but, I perform a few here and there at the shop when traffic slows. People seem to enjoy them,” Tessa shrugs her shoulders.

“I’d love to hear sometime-” Scott blows on his drink, smiling down at her, his warm breath strokes her ears.

“Tessa!” Kaitlyn interrupts, causing them both to jump, and Scott to stare at the ground like a babbling idiot. Tessa can’t help but feel guilty and she doesn’t understand in the slightest...why? She hasn’t done anything but stare at a really good looking stranger and talk about soulmates and journaling for the past five minutes.

“After your so-called “break” Marie wants to talk about your performance this Saturday.”

“Tell her okay then!” Tessa calls to her, shooing her off.

Scott peers down at his watch when he realizes that his dad will probably expect him to be back at the apartment any minute to go over how the new song he’s been writing is coming along. 

Watching the adorable, brunette barista clean windows, balance orders, and hand out about a dozen vanilla sugar cupcakes to a group of toddlers ( is probably the cutest thing he’s ever seen by the way) for the past ten minutes now, is all it takes for him wanting to change the whole concept of this album for him. Maybe he can dedicate a chorus of a song just to those divine freckles or the way her lips part when she’s focusing intently on something.

Would his dad mind that much? He’ll save that for the next band meeting, he thinks…

“Anyway... I’m sorry about her,” Tessa apologizes, frantically organizing shelves.

“It’s alright...in fact, I actually have to get going...I have a family thing of sorts.”

“Oh, okay…” Tessa shyly nods her head.

“But it was nice chatting with you..._ Tessa _,” Scott pauses after saying her name, causing her breathing to hitch in her lungs and a rumbling in her stomach.

“I haven’t had a normal conversation with _someone_ in a long time,” He smirks before waving goodbye, welcoming the cafe with another bitter gust of air.

“You too - whoever you are,” Tessa laughs, propping herself up at the countertop to find directly in front of her...his journal.

“Wait!” Tessa calls, throwing on her beanie before running outside.

“You forgot your journal!!!” She yells, discovering as if he was a ghost...he's vanished within a mere ten seconds. Several people in the street stop to stare at her like she’s lost her mind. Hell, she probably has. Chasing after some mysterious, leather-bound boy who she's only known for ten minutes which felt like twenty seconds...but in some cases...twenty years.

After searching through a couple of people, Tessa gives up and heads back inside, huffing and puffing when Kaitlyn stares right at her with the biggest shit-eating grin.

“Going after him already, T? You know, I pegged you for a songwriter and a soloist, but I never thought you could write a duet so quickly?” Kaitlyn bats her lashes, whipping Tessa's butt with an oven mitt.

“Oh - didn’t you hear, Kait?” Tessa rips off her beanie before slowly walking backwards to the staircase.

“We’re starting a band.”

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> a band you say?


End file.
